The Way You Look Tonight: The Romantic Songs of Jerome Kern

by Beegie Adair

Overview

Beegie Adair has long been a staple on the Nashville jazz scene. This tribute to Jerome Kern was one of six CDs issued individually and also as a part of a boxed set. With the support of bassist Roger Spencer and drummer Chris Brown, Adair tackled the formidable challenge of creating fresh arrangements of a baker's dozen of Kern's compositions. Her lush introduction to "All the Things Your Are" is a refreshing change from the almost-mandatory B flat theme created by Dizzy Gillespie. She also reverts to its original relaxed ballad setting rather than making it a bebop racehorse. "Yesterdays" was one of Art Tatum's favorite vehicles, which he turned into a virtuoso showstopper. Adair interprets it as a ballad, with Brown's Latin percussion suggesting a late-night walk on a lonely Caribbean beach as the piano brings to mind the song's wistful lyrics. Many of the other songs were once popular standards among jazz musicians but had fallen out of favor by the 21st century; Adair's interpretations prove that there is plenty of life left in these old chestnuts. ~ Ken Dryden

Product Details

Release Date:	05/13/2008
Label:	Green Hill Productions
UPC:	0792755539729

Tracks

1. The Way You Look Tonight
2. Pick Yourself Up
3. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
4. I'm Old Fashioned
5. A Fine Romance
6. All the Things You Are
7. The Song Is You
8. The Last Time I Saw Paris
9. Yesterdays
10. They Didn't Believe Me
11. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
12. Long Ago and Far Away
13. Old Man River

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Beegie Adair   Primary Artist,Piano
Chris Brown   Drums
Roger Spencer   Bass

Technical Credits

Jack Jezzro   Audio Production,Producer
Kristen Beahm   Graphic Design
Russ Harrington   Photography
David Langemann   Assistant Engineer
Michael E. Rourke   Composer
Oscar Hammerstein II   Composer
Dorothy Fields   Composer
Don Boyer   Executive Producer
Jerome Kern   Composer
Ira Gershwin   Composer
Will Friedwald   Liner Notes
Mike Haynes   Mastering
Brendan Harkin   Engineer,Mixing
Otto Harbach   Composer
Johnny Mercer   Composer